Leaky Shark Fin

[Pittz]

No big deal because I am a DIY guy and managed to fix my wife's car, but this will be the last American vehicle I buy. 2015 Tahoe with 30k on the clock. All of the plaques on the doors are coming off and then water pouring down from the over head console from the antenna.

It did not help that when I called the dealer and told them where it was coming from, after I saw the water dripping down, they wanted to still charge me $250 for a "water specialist" to come in and asses it. Needless to say, I can fix it myself.

Just waiting for the next phone call from my wife that something else is wrong. Toyota, here I come.

 

[dbbd1]

Let us know how it's done.
IIRC, you can't just pop off the antenna, you have to drop the headliner. More info on this would be good.

 

[Pittz]

Let us know how it's done.
IIRC, you can't just pop off the antenna, you have to drop the headliner. More info on this would be good.

I popped the over head console down just to check. I know along with that the visor, a pillar plastic, o-shit handle and b-pillar plastic have to come undone to drop it enough to remove it. Looks to be a 10mm bolt holding it on. I will apply some silicone around the OEM seal before the new one goes in because I know GM will not go out of their way to fix a known issue.

I know I can fix it, but I was going to have the dealer do it with my recall. They can kiss my ass now. They even told me they have had to replace a handful this past summer with the rain we had. I can have it done in 30min-1 hour.

 

[adventurenali92]

Yes. The forward part of the headliner above the driver’s seat has to be dropped in order to access to bolt on the underside of the roof that holds that antenna on. It’s not overly difficult, just tedious and tight space to work in. I swapped my onstar fin for one I color matched to my truck this summer. You remove the screws that hold the sunshade on on above the drivers area. And then the sunshade comes free. Remove the a pillar which should just be plastic clips that hold it in. You have to gently pull on the pillar to get them to pop lose. And then the headliner should be free. Once it’s free you can drop it down enough to reach up and undo the bolt that holds it on and the antenna will be free.

 

[dbbd1]

Yes. The forward part of the headliner above the driver’s seat has to be dropped in order to access to bolt on the underside of the roof that holds that antenna on. It’s not overly difficult, just tedious and tight space to work in. I swapped my onstar fin for one I color matched to my truck this summer. You remove the screws that hold the sunshade on on above the drivers area. And then the sunshade comes free. Remove the a pillar which should just be plastic clips that hold it in. You have to gently pull on the pillar to get them to pop lose. And then the headliner should be free. Once it’s free you can drop it down enough to reach up and undo the bolt that holds it on and the antenna will be free.

Thanks for the input.

 

[UplevelDave]

The leaking sharkfin issue is because GM got cheap with the supplier like they always do. When something first comes out, they get high quality parts or go all out, then they cut back here and there every year to save a few pennies. When GM first started with roof mounted OnStar and XM antennas, the ENTIRE bottom of the antenna was a rubber gasket with rows of raised ribs, like rings on a tree stump. I don't know who the supplier was. Then they switched to RecepTec for the sharkfins in like 2006, and it's one lousy foam gasket immediately around the 10mm hold down bolt. That's it. I'm a lifelong GM guy but that's so irritating. They make a ton of money on full size trucks and SUVs, and yet they constantly find ways to cheap out with parts. I just noticed that my 2008 Tahoe doesn't have a felt lined (flocked) glovebox but my friend's 2007 Tahoe does. Probably saved them 35 cents to not do the flocking for a quiet glovebox. Grrrr.